Installing Marine Electronics | The Ultimate Guide Series

[@jamesmay3812]

The BEST video I have seen yet on installing marine electronics!!! I bought a barn find 2000 Lund Adventure that had been in storage for 15 years. I have updated the trolling motor plug and battery cables to handle 24 volts, installed an onboard battery charger and was trying to determine the best way to wire up my new Helix 10 and the older Lowrance Elite HDS. You explained it perfectly!!! Thank You

[@MidwestOutdoorExperience]

@@jamesmay3812 glad it helped!

[@timberwolf9363]

Can't believe this has only 200+ likes!! Absolutely excellent video!!

[@MidwestOutdoorExperience]

Glad you liked it!

[@chazt4863]

Thank you so much for this video! Absolutely the best detailed and precise explanation on Marine electronics I've seen on KZbin. Ironically, I happened to visit a Marine/Boat dealer today asking about deep cycle batteries ect...they told me that I should run my bass boat electronics including graphs and gps antenna to my trolling motor batteries! Not my cranking battery...your video corrected recommendation error. After seeing this, I think I will follow suit and get the X-2 Power AGM 31 for my cranking battery...as you noted you get what you pay for and it has a great warranty. What type of batteries do you recommend and use for your trolling motor? Greatly appreciated!

[@MidwestOutdoorExperience]

Glad it helped. Agm or lithium are the best for TM if money is not a concern. I currently have agm, but have also used regular lead acid size 31 and never ran out of TM power. I used Duracell lead acids from batteries plus for 4 years no issues. Deep cycle I should add for TM too.

[@chazt4863]

@@MidwestOutdoorExperience Thanks Austin! I'm a new subscriber now 👍! Hope your enjoying your new Nitro - sweet set-up! Too funny, I was planning to visit my local Battery Plus store tomorrow. I think I'll find just what I need. Regards

[@MidwestOutdoorExperience]

@@chazt4863 that’s Nathan’s nitro. He’s enjoying it. I have a Phoenix. Thanks for subscribing and good luck out there!

[@chazt4863]

@@MidwestOutdoorExperience Ok! Thanks...Yeah, I'm here in Central Florida touching up the electronics and power on my Skeeter - getting ready to so some swimbait fishing this winter and spring. I'll keep you posted.

[@steveodonnell2921]

Excellent video, the g4 hilix units now don't need 2 pucks for proper waypoint positioning. During set up each unit lets you decided where tou want the gps to be used. When setting up the bow unit you check the box for the internal gps in that unit when they are networked together. Not sure if that was possible when this video was made. You answered lots of questions for sure. Thanks for the information

[@MidwestOutdoorExperience]

Thank the lord humminbird finally caught up with everyone else in that department.

[@danknight8058]

Great video. Thanks for sharing.

[@MattHardt]

Because all the units are wired directly to fuse block with proper fuse size, does that mean that the supplied inline fuse holders that come with the units are not used?

[@MidwestOutdoorExperience]

That is correct. You could also do the same thing with a tap block (probably a bit cheaper) and use the inline fuse holders that come with the units.

[@MattHardt]

I notice some guys with the same install use a breaker/on-off switch in front of the battery. Does your switch have a breaker? What amp breaker would you use for your example of three graphs? One more question. In your 2nd example, when running 8 gauge to the bow and 10 gauge to the console, would you use a fuse block at the console to tie in graph, network box and NMEA and a second fuse block at the bow to tie in the two graphs and active target or would you go seaclear harness style and use a connector to tie all positive and negatives together? I’m sure it’s personal,preference but I was curious your thoughts.

[@MidwestOutdoorExperience]

The switch I use does not have a breaker, like you said some do if you want to have a main. Not a bad idea in case something went bad from battery to fuse panel. In the second example you could do either, but a sea clear style would be a cleaner install for that method. I prefer the fuse block to power everything if I use that. You can find the sea clear cable online to make your own, or check out Wholesale Batteries for one already made, but much cheaper.

[@MattHardt]

Thanks for your help. Also thanks for taking the time to post fantastic videos and taking the time to respond to your comments.

[@scottahaus2284]

Question - I am going to rewire my old bass boat like you described in #3 setup. do you run your all your electronics and accessories (bilge pumps etc) off the same starting battery?

[@MidwestOutdoorExperience]

Yes. It has become popular though to add another battery just for electronics, and you keep your pumps and other boat accessories on the starting battery. Not necessary unless you’re running something crazy like 5 12” graphs. Just make sure you get a starting battery with good AH/RC rating so you don’t have any trouble with low battery. I recommend a size 31 AGM with the most AH you can find (100 or more)

[@vitobondar]

Thank You, Thank YOU, THANK YOU... Absolutely Bad A$$.... Huge help...

[@phillipthompson2413]

what gauge wire are you running out of your fuse box?

[@MidwestOutdoorExperience]

#6 feeds it, #12 from there to individual units

[@nickmorales2803]

Great video!

[@crappienaterfishing1198]

Wow that was great. 1 ? Just be clear , can I run my mega live and mega 360 to the fuse panel, I tried putting them together and running them straight to a battery and they wouldn’t work at the same time and my Helix 15 monitors went pretty much haywire.

[@MidwestOutdoorExperience]

Yes you can run them to the fuse panel. I would run them separately and have the corresponding 2A fuse for the Live and 1A fuse for the 360. Make sure you have a battery cutoff switch that feeds the fuse panel as well.

[@crappienaterfishing1198]

@@MidwestOutdoorExperience will do , thank You!

[@crappienaterfishing1198]

I just found out that the sea clear harness doesn’t come with a fuse panel, can I run mega live with one monitor on one line and the mega 360 on the other line with a monitor? Will there be interference with them? Sorry to keep bugging you but no one else is responding

[@MidwestOutdoorExperience]

@@crappienaterfishing1198 yes you can do that. You can also get a fuse panel and use PACER or ANCOR brand 8/2 Duplex wire and it will be the same as sea clear, but then you could put in a fuse panel

[@MidwestOutdoorExperience]

I believe sea clear sells an adapter too for accessories. Basically a connector that goes out to 4 separate power connectors. One for each graph, and one for mega live, one for 360.